Clothesline pin



April 14, 1942. .c. E. WISECUP CLOTHESLINE PIN Filed April 8, 1941 INVENTO R Cldre'rzoe E. MfeCu u -BY 2 a ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 14, 1942 UHTED STATES PATENT oericlig CLOTHESLINE PIN Clarence E. Wisecup, Bronx, N. Y. Application April 8, 1941 Serial No. 387,411

7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a clothes-line pin. I

More specifically the invention proposes the construction of a clothes line pin characterized by a pair of cooperative gripping jaws pivotally mounted about a coil spring and urged together thereby to be engageable upon the edge of a piece of clothing or similar material and a novel arrangement by which the jaws may be engaged upon a clothes line.

Still further it is proposed to provide the clothes pin with a hook engaged through the coil spring thereof in a certain way and extended upwards to be engageable upon a clothes line for supporting the pin thereon. i

Still further it is proposed to characterize the pin by a pair of rear projections forming handles adapted to be pressed together for opening the jaws to permit the clothing to be placed therebetween.

A further object of this invention proposes to have the hook extend upwards between the adjacent faces of the hereinabove mentioned handles for the purpose of limiting the pivoting of the handle with relation to the pin about the coil spring.

Still further a modification of this invention proposes means for removably mounting the hook upon the clothes pin in a manner to permit the same to be removed therefrom when desired.

A further object of this invention is to construct a clothes line pin as mentioned which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, ref- 7 erence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the app-ended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes line pin constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevational View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hook, per se.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a pin constructed in accordance with a modification of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a difierent position of the parts.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

l The clothes line pin according to this invenas follows:

to A piece of clothing or other material to be ention, includes a pair of cooperative gripping jaws III which are pivotally engaged on the sides of a coil spring I I. The gripping'jaws I 0 are pro vided with cutouts I2 which partially encircle the spring I! for acting as a pivot for the jaws I0. The coil spring II has its ends II extended along opposite sides of'the. pinfand cooperative with the exposed faces of the jaws I 0 for the purpose of urging the same together. The ends of the spring II are engaged within cutouts I3 formed in the faces of the jaws I0 forprevent 9 ing relative movement offthe jaws-III with relation to the spring I I. I

The gripping jaws I0 are preferably constructed of wood or other similar material and are provided with rearwardly extending projections Ill which act as handles. These handles l0 are adapted to be manually urged together for pivoting the jaws lflabout the coil spring II to open the same and permit apiece' of clothing or other similarmaterial' to be hung upon a clothes line to be engaged therebetween.

A means is provided for supporting the clothes pin upon a clothes line indicated bygthe dot and dash lines I4 -in Fig/2. This means comprises a hook I5 having a pair of wire connection elements I5 which are extended through the coil spring ll from'oppositeends andwhich have laterally bent ends I5 for the purpose ofgrip-v ping the coil spring II and preventing the wire connection elements I5 from becoming disengaged from the coil spring I I. The top end of the hook I5 is provided with ahook portion l5 which is adapted to be engaged upon the clothes line as shown in Fig. 2. This hook I5 isbent from -a continuous length of wire into the shape shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of gaged upon a clothes line I 4 is engaged between the jaws ID of the clothes pin by spreading the same and permitting the spring II to clamp the jaws thereon. After the pin hasbeen engaged upon the clothing'or material to be supported on the line, the hook portion I5 of thehook I5 is engaged over the clothes line I4 for supporting the clothing or other material thereon. Oneor more clothes pins. is to be used for supporting the said piece of clothing, depending upon the sizethere'of.

According to the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 6 the clothes line pin is characterized by a pair of cooperative gripping jaws 20 which arepivotally engaged on this term of the invention is the spring 2| when the hook hereinabove outlined.

2,279,934 the sides of the coil spring 2|. The ends 2| of the coil spring 2| extend along the sides of I thejaws 20 andare bent to engage. the faces the ends of the coil spring 2| engage. The cutouts 22 and 23 act .to. prevent relative movement of the jaws 20 with relation to the spring 2|. The jaws 20 are provided with rearwardly extending, projections 20 'which are adapted to act as handlesr These handles are adapted to be urgedtogether for the purpose of spreading the jaws 20 to permit clothing or. other mate rial to be supported upon a wash line to be en v gaged between the jaws. A hook 25 is provided forsupporting the-clothes pin upon a wash line. This hook 25has a pair of. connectionelemen ts125 which are engagedthrough the central opening the coil spring 2|;from opposite ends. More specifically the coil cise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A clothes line pin, comprising a pair of cooperative gripping jaws pivotally engaged on the sides of a coil spring having end portions engaging thejaws and urging them together, a member fixedly mounted in said coil spring, and a hook for supporting said jaws and having a pair of "wire connection elements engaging through an a'fcuateshaped opening in said member from opposite ends and. having laterally bent ends for gripping theends of said member to prevent the spring 2| 'carries a tubular member 26 which is securely, attached to the outermost coil thereofgby means'of welding, brazing or other simie lar material and indicated by the reference numeral 21; The tubular member 26 has a central.

opening-28 through which the endsof the connection elements 25, of the hook 25 engage. This central opening 28 is arcuately shaped in crosse section and is provided with outwardly directed grooves29 arranged adjacent the ends thereof. The ends of the gripping-elements .25 are bent upwards as indicated by reference numeral 25 1 for the purposeofg gripping-rthe ends of the tubular, member26 between the grooves 29 for the purpose of preventing disengagement of the gripping elements from this tubular member. 'The top-end of the hook 25 is provided with a hook element 25 engageableupona conventional wash line. The construction is such that the hook 25 normally extends upwards 'betweenthe handles 2|] to prevent relative movementv of the hook with relation to the clothes pin.

.,However, when desired; its possible to remove the. hook .25 from theclothes pin. This is accome plishedby spreading the handle portions of the jaws as shown in-Figa'5 permitting the hook pivoted to. a position in which the up wardly bent end: 25*;of one of the gripping elements 25 willbe aligned with one of the grooves 2 93for permitting the gripping element 25* to be pulledlongitudinally outwards with relation to the tubular member 26 causing the upwardly bent end 25?? to pass-through'the groove 29 and free the 'said gripping element 25 from-thetubular member 26.

The same procedure is followed for T removal of said ends from said member.

\ 2. Aclothes line pin, comprising a pair of cooperative gripping jaws pivotally engaged on the sides'of a coil spring having end portions engaging the jaws and urging them together, a tubular member fixedly mounted through said coil spring and having a central opening which is arcuately shaped in cross-section and having grooves near the ends thereof, and a hook for supporting said jaws and having a pair of wire connection elements engaging through said central opening from opposite ends and having laterally bent ends gripping the tubular member at areas between said grooves, and said hook being movable to positions in which said laterally bent ends may pass through said grooves.

3. A clothes line pin, comprising a pair of cooperative gripping jaws pivotally engaged on the sides of. acoil spring having end portions engagingthe jaws and1urgingthem together, a tubular member fixedly mounted through said coil springand having a central opening which is arcuately shaped in cross-section and having grooves near the ends thereof, and a hook for supporting said jaws and having a pair of wire connection elements engaging through said central opening from opposite ends and having laterally bent ends gripping the tubular member at areas between said grooves, and said hook ing handles" for facilitating the pivoting of said jaws and said hook being extended upwards between the adjacent faces'of said handles for preventing pivoting of said hook relative to said pin.

4. A clothes line pin, comprising a pair of cooperativegripping jaws pivotally engaged on the sidesof a coil spring having end portions engaging the jaws "and urging them together, a tubular disengaging the other gripping element; 25 of the hook 25, except that thehook is pivoted in the opposite direction. Theweld spot 21 is provided I for securely attaching the tubular member 26 to the spring 2| for thepurpose of preventing movement of the tubular member 26 with relation to 25 is pivoted as rms to be understood that this clothes line pin may be of any desired size, proportion and material, also that. the-shape of theclothes line I pin may be changed as desired :for hangingother objects besides clothes such as photographic negatives for drying, dyed fabrics, etc.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred. embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do'not limit myself to th premember fixedlyn' ounted through said coil spring and having a central opening which is arcuately shaped incross-section and having grooves near the ends thereof, and a hook for supporting said jaws and having a pair of wire connection elements engaging through said central opening from opposite ends and having laterally bent ends gripping the tubular member at areas between said grooves, and said hook being movable to positions in which said'laterally bent ends may pass through saidgrooves, said jaws being provided with rear projections forming handles for facilitating the pivoting of said jaws and said hook being extended upwards between the adjacentfaces of said handles for preventing pivoting'of said hook relative to said pin, said handles being adapted to be spread for permitting said hook to. be pivoted relative to said tubular memher to align the ends of said connection elements with said grooves.

5. A clothes line pin, comprising a pair of cooperative gripping jaws pivotally-engaged on the sides of a coil spring having end portions engaging the jaws and urging them together, a tubular member fixedly mounted through said coil spring and having a central opening which is arcuately shaped in cross-section and having grooves near the ends thereof, and a hook for supporting said jaws and having a pair of wire connection elements engaging through said central opening from opposite ends and having laterally bent ends gripping the tubular member at areas between said grooves, and said hook being movable to positions in which said laterally bent ends may pass through said grooves, said jaws being provided with rear projections forming handles for facilitating the pivoting of said jaws and said hook being extended upwards between the adjacent faces of said handles for preventing pivoting of said hook relative to said pin, said handles being adapted 'to be spread for permitting said hook to be pivoted relative to said tubular member to align the ends of said connection elements with said grooves, said tubular member being attached to said spring to prevent -movement of said member relative to said spring when said hook is pivoted.

6. A clothes line pin, comprising a coil spring supporting and resiliently urging a pair of cooperative gripping jaws together, a member having an arcuate opening extended through said coil spring and having an area securely attached to one of the coils of said spring, a hook for 0 supporting said coil spring from a clothes line or the like having a pair of wire connection elements extended through said arcuate opening from opposite ends, laterally bent ends formed onthe ends of said wire connection elements and directed upwards along the ends of said member for gripping the same to prevent disengagement of the wire connection elements from said arcuate opening, and means with which the laterally bent ends may be aligned in a pivoted position of said hook relative to said member permitting said laterally bent ends to be withdrawn from said tubular member whendesired.

7; A clothes line pin, comprising a coil spring supporting and resiliently urging a pair of cooperative gripping jaws together, a member having an arcuate opening extended through said coil spring and having an area securely attached to one of the coils of said spring, a hook for supporting said coil spring from a clothes'line or the like having a pair of wire connection elements extended through said arcuate opening from opposite ends, laterally bent ends formed on the ends of said wire connection elements and directed upwards along the ends of said member for gripping the same to prevent disengagement of the wire connection elements from said arcuate opening, and means with which the laterally bent ends may be aligned in a pivoted position of said hook relative to said member permitting said laterally bent ends to be withdrawn from said tubular member when desired, comprising grooves formed on the ends of said arcuate opening and extended upwards on opposite sides of the normal upwardly extended position of said laterally bent ends,

- CLARENCE E. WISECUP. 

